Dust and Echoes (RWBY/Halo)
Chapter 3: Fear of the Unknown
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Anima, Kingdom of Mistral, Shion Village
November 28th, 69 A.G.W. 11:16 Hours (Remnant Calendar)
"Come on, Saphron! Hurry it up!" Jaune Arc impatiently begged his older sister as the two of them walked around the woods near their campsite. They had arrived just hours before and immediately began setting up camp, and by the end of it all Jaune was going stir crazy. He couldn't get out fast enough, so when the opportunity presented itself once camp was ready he took it.
"Slow down, Jaune. Geez," Saphron, Jaune's older sister, called out as she followed behind him. She wasn't upset or even irritated. If anything, she was resigned to it by this point. Her younger brother had proved to have an impulsive and foolhardy disposition, especially for a seven-year-old. If he wanted to do something, there wasn't much that was going to stop him. Right now, that path led him towards exploring the same woods he had countless times before. The way Saphron Arc saw it, if her little brother was going to run around the woods, she might as well make sure he didn't get hurt while doing it.
Not that she feared anything was going to happen. Shion Village routinely hired Huntsmen to clear the area around them, making it safe from regular Grimm activity. Still, the last thing she wanted was for Jaune to trip over a root and hurt himself. He was a clumsy yet lovable goofball.
Jaune briefly frowned, then did as his older sister told and slowed down. He wasn't that far away from her in the first place, and he always made sure to keep in sight of her at all times. Still, he couldn't help but feel excited about what new adventures he'd have on their stay. A whole week with just him and his family roughing it out in the woods, with only their wits to survive. That and the copious amount of supplies their mom made them pack for the trip. Part of Jaune felt that was cheating a bit, but he wasn't going to complain. As much as he liked camping, the idea of surviving solely off of the land sounded hard and not very fun.
Suddenly, something on the ground caught his eye, and Jaune excitingly gasped as he ran over to pick it up.
"Saph! Saph! Look what I found!" Jaune exclaimed as he held up the object over his head. Saphron took a look at it and scoffed in amusement.
"Yes, Jaune. It's a stick. Good boy," Saphron joked, and Jaune puffed up his cheeks in irritation.
"It's not just a stick! Look at it!" Jaune insisted, running his hand up the shaft. "It looks just like dad's sword! See!"
"Hmm," Saphron hummed as she looked the stick over. Sure enough, she could see where Jaune was coming from, although it was a very rough similarity. She couldn't help but laugh and cover her mouth with her hand, causing her younger brother to indignantly scoff and cross his arms, stick-sword still in his hand.
"Hey!" Jaune protested, and Saphron calmed herself down and waved her hand towards him.
"Sorry, Jaune. You're right, it does look like Crocea Mors," she finally admitted. Jaune's expression switched from irritated to happy, and in his jubilation he held it out as though it really were a sword.
"Hiya! Heeyah!" Jaune yelled out, making a few swings against imaginary foes. Saphron laughed at her brother's antics, placing her hand on her hip and shifting her weight to mostly one leg.
"Playing hero, now?" Saphron asked, and Jaune shook his head while continuing to play-fight.
"No, I'm practicing!" Jaune insisted. "If I'm going to be a hero one day like dad and grandpa, I gotta start early."
"Is that so?" Saphron asked, smiling to herself. This wasn't the first Jaune had brought up his dream. They all had grown up on tales of the Arc family's exploits, and he had been enthralled with them from the very beginning. Jaune wanted nothing more than to continue their legacy, but as her baby brother accidentally tripped over a root and fell to the forest floor with a quick yelp, Saphron was reminded of his true chances.
Jaune certainly had the heart for it, but he was clumsy. Combine that with their parents' refusal to train him, not wanting any of their children to suffer what their father had, meant his chances of achieving his dream were slim. Still, Saphron had faith that, somehow, Jaune would find a way. She just hoped he wouldn't get himself killed while doing it.
"Come on, Jaune. We should head back," she said as Jaune picked himself up. He dusted the dirt off of his jeans and looked at his sister with a soft glare, but she looked back with her ever-present smile. He opened his mouth to protest, only for a faint rumbling sound to catch their attention. Both Arc children turned their heads towards the source, where they saw a flight of Atlesian Mantas and Mistralian Airships pass overhead.
"Whoa, cool!" Jaune exclaimed, stars in his eyes, but Saphron narrowed her gaze in suspicion. That suspicion increased when she saw the Airships continue over to Shion Village in order to land, and a sinking feeling formed in her gut.
"Jaune," she tersely began, "let's get back to mom and dad. Now."
"But we just got here?" Jaune protested, but Saphron shot him a look that left no room for argument. He was taken aback for a bit, then sighed and dropped the stick to comply.
Solitas, Kingdom of Atlas, Atlas
November 28th, 69 A.G.W. 12:30 Hours (Remnant Calendar)
The sound of undulating piano keys filled the parlor as seven-year-old Weiss Schnee gave a concert to her family. She was giving it her all, weeks of practice on this very same song coming out and showing itself proudly for the world to see. Around her, her family sat on chairs and a large sofa. Her mother, Willow, sat next to her younger brother Whitley and her older sister Winter while her father, Jacques, sat alone on his chair. Willow, a glass of wine in her hand, smiled warmly at the sight of her daughter playing. Winter was smiling as well, but trying to keep an air of seriousness about her. From the occasional glances Weiss gave in her direction, it wasn't always working when Winter was certain the rest of her family wasn't watching. Whitley's reaction was much more mixed. At first, he was openly smiling like his mother and sister, but when he caught sight of his father's stoic and flat expression, Whitley straightened himself and stopped smiling in a bid to emulate the father he adored.
Occasionally, Winter would glance in their direction and a frown would cross her face. But as Weiss continued to play, oblivious to the fault lines that were emerging in their family, Winter forced herself to not look at her father and instead focus on her sister. Finally, Weiss' music built to its climatic end, and with a few more strokes, finished her song. She stood up and turned towards her family with a large smile on her face, and gave a dainty curtsey as her sister smiled and politely clapped, her mother a bit more enthusiastically, while Jacques and Whitley simply gave an approving nod.
"Well done, Weiss," Jacques said. "I see that the lessons and tutors have paid off."
"Thank you, father," Weiss replied with a wide smile.
"Encore! Encore!" Willow cheered out, waving around her wine glass as Weiss' smile grew ever wider. Jacques then began to hum, silencing Willow and preventing either Whitley or Winter from adding any thoughts.
"You know," Jacques began, "I believe you may have a gift, Weiss."
"Really?!" Weiss excitedly asked.
"Indeed," Jacques answered with a small grin. "In fact, I believe that our neighbors would love to see a performance."
Weiss' smile grew, her attention locked to her father while her sister and mother frowned at his back. Willow's was much more subdued, almost cowed, while Winter's was much more open. Whitley glanced upon both of them and balked, not understanding why they would be reacting in such a way. But before he could speak up, the parlor door slammed open, and the Schnee Family butler, Klein Seiben, ran inside.
"Sir, Madam!" he called out, panting heavily as though he had just run across the entire manor.
"Klein, what is the meaning of this?!" Jacques angrily demanded. Klein struggled to explain, then finally gave up and threw his arm in the direction of where he just came from.
"You all need to see this! Now!" he outright demanded. Jacques was half-willing to reprimand him for his insolence, then groaned.
"This better not be a waste of my time," he grumbled before stomping out of the room after Klein. Willow looked at her children for a moment, then stood up and beckoned them to follow. They all walked through the halls, and Weiss recognized that they were heading towards the expansive living room they entertained guests in. Why they were going there, Weiss had no idea, but she soon got her answer when she saw the large wall-mounted television already turned on. To her surprise, the room was full of human and faunus servants, all focused with wide-eyed and panicked expressions as they murmured to each other. Moving to the front of the crowd, Weiss turned her attention to the television. It was set to the Atlas Broadcasting Network, and any outbursts her father might've had died on his lips as he and the rest of the Schnee family gazed upon the object at center screen.
"What you're seeing now is a live feed from Shade Academy in Vacuo. Our sources can confirm that it is not faked, and similar reports have been coming from all kingdoms," the reporter called out as a shaky video feed pointing towards Remnant's shattered moon covered the entire screen. Whereas in Atlas it was still daylight, Vacuo was fully shrouded in the darkness of night, with only the light of Remnant's moon shining overhead. Normally, that wouldn't be an issue, but Weiss could see the true focus of the video.
There, shaped like one of those cigars that her father liked to use on occasion, was a large object passing across the moon.
Island of Menagerie, Kuo Kuana
November 28th, 69 A.G.W. 14:01 Hours (Remnant Calendar)
The meeting room inside the White Fang headquarters was packed full of people Blake Belladonna had only met a few times before. They were talking loudly and over each other, trying to get a word in edge wise, and it was hard for her father to maintain order.
"Everyone, please!" Ghira yelled out. "This isn't the time to panic."
No one seemed to listen to him. In fact, the noise only grew louder, and as Blake returned her attention to the tv embedded into the wall, she was once again reminded why. Being on Menagerie, the connection was shaky at best, and the screen was considerably smaller than some of the TVs she had seen in the kingdoms, but it was enough to show what the rest of the world was discovering. The ticker feed on the bottom easily spelled it out, and despite only being seven-years old, Blake could understand the words just as well as anyone else.
"Unidentified Object Spotted Orbiting Remnant," it read as images of the object in question were highlighted. All news networks around the world were only talking about this, and it wasn't hard to see why. After all, the possibility of it being a meteorite, some kind of space rock as her mother described it, was ruled out a while ago.
"Silence!" Sienna Khan, finally having enough, shouted while slamming her fist down onto the wooden table with enough force to rattle it. Only then did the racket cease, and Sienna glared at everyone in the room outside of Ghira and Blake.
"Thank you, Sienna," Ghira said. Sienna nodded, sitting back into her chair to allow the leader of the White Fang to speak freely. "I understand all of you are nervous. Admittedly, so am I."
"It's a damn spaceship, Ghira!" someone shouted. The racket threatened to erupt once again, but Sienna and Ghira's dual glares silenced it immediately.
"I know," Ghira calmly replied. "This is unlike anything we've ever dealt with before. Absolute proof that we are not alone in the universe has appeared practically on our doorstep, and I have no doubt in my mind that the course of history has been irrevocably altered. But that does not mean we should let fear consume us. That path ends only in the Grimm."
"But Ghira, the people are already scared, and not just in Menagerie," another pointed out.
"I'm not blind to people's concerns, which is why I called this meeting to order," Ghira stated while calmly waving his hand. "Sienna?"
"Yes, Ghira?" Sienna asked immediately, straightening her back while giving him her utmost attention.
"Increase the patrols around Kuo Kuana. I want my people to feel safe, so let them know to come outside and continue their day."
"Of course," Sienna replied, nodding her head and standing up, preparing to do as Ghira told. Before she could leave, however, Ghira raised his hand and beckoned her to stop. His eyes drifted over to his daughter, and Sienna followed his gaze and immediately understood what he was asking.
"Also," Ghira continued, "do you mind escorting my daughter home? I'm afraid the next topics of discussion will confuse her."
"Certainly," Sienna replied. If she was offended about being asked to temporarily babysit, she didn't show it. Instead, Sienna softly smiled towards Blake and beckoned her to join her. Blake looked at her father who warmly smiled towards her, and Blake nodded before hopping off her chair and walking towards Sienna. The tiger Faunus gently took Blake's hand and led her away, closing the door behind her and continuing down the open-air hall and to the village outside.
It was completely vacant, without a single soul in sight. It wasn't truly deserted, Blake knew. Just an hour before, the marketplace was packed full of Faunus buying and selling goods and services. Then the news broke about the apparent spacecraft orbiting overhead, and at first no one believed it for it was so outlandish. Then the more reputable news stories repeated it, and finally someone with a telescope looked towards the direction of the moon where they, too, saw the very same object the rest of the world was beginning to panic over. Soon, the streets were empty as people fled to their homes, locking the doors to secure some measure of safety. Blake wasn't certain it would be enough.
"Don't be scared, Blake," Sienna calmly said as they continued their walk towards her house. It was a small and humble home, not much bigger or different than the houses around them, but Blake could recognize it instantly. Still, thoughts nagged at the back of Blake's mind, and she looked up at Sienna in the hopes that the older woman would be able to provide answers.
"What's going to happen now?" Blake asked. Sienna frowned and shook her head while continuing to walk.
"I don't know," Sienna admitted, seeing no reason to lie to the girl. Blake frowned, not wanting that answer, yet at the same time expecting it. Still, for the seven-year-old girl, hearing that the adults around her were just as lost as her was doing little to alleviate her concerns. Not wanting to ruminate on them further, Blake decided to shift focus.
"I noticed you weren't arguing with my father again," Blake pointed out. Sienna looked down at Blake in slight surprise, and Blake continued looking forward as they walked. "Does this mean you two made up?"
Sienna didn't respond at first, then stopped and beckoned Blake to as well. When the young girl complied, Sienna moved herself to kneel in front of Blake, and they looked at each other at eye level.
"Blake, I know your father and I have our differences, but know this. I respect him and your mother with every fiber of my being," Sienna insisted. "We both want the same thing, equality for the Faunus. Don't you want that, too?"
"Of course," Blake insisted, and Sienna nodded back.
"Good girl." Sienna smiled, then frowned and shook her head. "But your father's methods, they're too slow for me. He'd have us work for generations when we can force equality now. All it takes is a little push in the right areas, against the right targets, but your father won't even defend himself when he's being shot at. His desire for peace is admirable, and I respect him for it, but there's a time for talking and a time for action. Do you understand what I mean?"
Blake thought it over for a minute, puffing out her cheeks as her feline ears twitched. She remembered the protests, the rallies, waving her signs and shouting herself hoarse with everyone else to make their voices heard. Just like she remembered the ugly tightening in her chest as the humans just ignored them, or worse, 'punished' them for being 'ungrateful animals.' Eventually she came to a decision and nodded.
"I think so," she admitted. Sienna nodded and patted Blake's shoulder, then stood back up and continued leading her back home.
"Come on, let's get you back to Kali."
"Then you have to get back for grown-up stuff?"
Sienna chuckled. "Grown-up stuff, yes."
Solitas, Kingdom of Atlas, Atlas Academy
November 28th, 69 A.G.W. 15:45 Hours (Remnant Calendar)
In all his life, Ozpin had never seen such a level of fear and anxiety gripping Remnant's people. It had been such a rapid turnaround. Just this morning, everything was carrying on as usual. People were going about their day, teachers were giving lectures to students, while he himself was overseeing Beacon's budget when he got a call from Atlas' General Ironwood. A call that sent chills down his spine. He hadn't wanted to believe it at first. After all, the claim was outlandish. But then General Ironwood sent him the relevant data. Images, telemetry, spectral analysis, everything. Ozpin could no longer deny the truth after that, and the only consolation he felt at the time was that the truth was being suppressed for the moment, at his urging. The last thing Remnant needed was a full-blown panic about an alien spacecraft orbiting overhead.
Of course, the truth got out in a matter of hours, but in that time the kingdoms were able to organize their defenses to the best of their ability. A decision that proved wise, as already reports of heightened Grimm activity were coming in from all over the world. People were on edge, with their attentions glued to the sky as they tried to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic vessel orbiting above. A few times Ozpin did the same, but as the Bullhead carrying him and his two most trusted colleagues flew towards Atlas he forced himself to keep his attention on the ground.
"You know," Qrow's raspy voice echoed in the bullhead. Ozpin didn't even need to turn his head to see the sharp glare Glynda shot the veteran Huntsman.
"Don't you start," Glynda demanded.
"I wasn't going to say how you jinxed us," Qrow replied cheekily. Glynda growled, but didn't respond further as she turned her attention to the water shooting past. Qrow looked at her for a moment, then he walked over to Ozpin and leaned against the cabin window.
"Oz, what do you make of this?" Qrow asked, a hint of desperation in his voice. Ozpin hated to disappoint him, but he could only sigh and shake his head.
"I honestly don't know," Ozpin admitted. "I have lived for countless lifetimes, and I thought I had seen everything Remnant had to offer. It appears, once again, I was wrong."
Qrow looked at his mentor for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I think I know what you mean. Except technically this isn't something Remnant's throwing at us this time. Actual goddamn aliens. Who could've seen that coming?"
"Indeed." Ozpin looked out across the water one last time, then turned his head towards Qrow. "Did your family make it to Vale?"
"Yeah, they did. Tai didn't believe me at first, but when I showed him what you showed me, he pulled both Ruby and Yang out of school early to get them to safety."
"How did the girls take it?"
"Yang's scared out of her mind, but is trying to make herself seem brave to everyone else. Ruby's completely excited and wants to meet them so that they can 'become friends.'"
"I sincerely hope young Ruby is right."
"So do I, Oz. So do I."
The rest of the flight was in silence, and soon they came into sight of their destination. The floating city of Atlas, tethered to the old city of Mantle on the ground below. Surrounding the cities was the entirety of the Atlesian fleet. Mantas and Bullheads flew around large Atlesian airships, their weapons primed and ready to fire on anything that approached with hostile intent. Occasionally, a few shots would go out, striking a Grimm too small for Ozpin to see with the naked eye, but their aircraft was unaffected.
"Bullhead C247 on approach to Atlas Academy. Transferring clearance now and requesting permission to land," their pilot spoke as the copilot pressed a few keys on their control panel. A few seconds passed, then the intercom buzzed to life.
"Clearance acknowledged, C247. Proceed to docking station 5B," the controller directed.
"Wilco," the pilot replied, veering the aircraft towards their approved destination. As they passed over Mantle, Ozpin couldn't help but notice how dirty and almost rundown the city was in comparison to Atlas, and he frowned. Decades after the land surrounding Alsius Academy was raised into the sky, becoming Atlas Academy and soon the city of Atlas, the gap between the old capital of Mantle and Atlas itself grew wider and wider with no signs of reversing anytime soon. He half-wondered if that decision, originally meant to inspire the people of Mantle to look towards a brighter future after the Great War, wound end up as another of his many mistakes, but he had to hold out hope that it wouldn't.
The sight of the landing pad pushed those thoughts to the side, and Ozpin waited as the Bullhead landed with a soft thud. The doors swung open, allowing him and his compatriots to disembark and head towards the academy. Multiple guards were on station, looking out nervously just in case they were needed. Ozpin gave them an appreciative nod as he, Qrow, and Glynda walked past, and soon they were heading inside the grand building. Blue lights cast a light glow around them as they moved through the school, electronic bulletin boards giving constant status updates to anyone able to see them. Rather than giving class schedules or information regarding office hours, the boards were entirely focused on the aliens and how Atlas was dealing with them.
Soon, the trio exited the school section of the building and entered the military headquarters. The difference was striking. Whereas the school fostered an atmosphere of learning and comfort, the military was pure function. Nothing was wasted, and already he could see dozens of technicians, operators, and various military personnel manning stations and barking updates towards their superiors. The glass separating them muffled their words beyond recognition, but he could understand what they were saying based off the readouts on the screens. The alien vessel was holding its orbit between Remnant and its moon, and thus far had made no movements untoward them. Nor had the vessel sent anything their way, despite all the signals it was undoubtably picking up. All of Remnant was staring at this behemoth, and it would have to be blind not to notice.
"Never seen Atlas so spooked before," Qrow muttered under his breath.
"I hope Ironwood doesn't do anything foolish," Glynda added. Ozpin didn't know the man all that well thus far, only meeting him a few times ever since he became General, but even then he could understand Glynda's fears. The General had displayed an alarming tendency to try and control everything he could in an effort to protect the people, and while that mindset could be a great force for good, it could also lead to outright tyranny. As someone who had 'lived' through the Great War, Ozpin hoped to curb such tendencies lest history repeat itself.
Finally, they arrived at the General's office, and Ozpin paused for a moment before politely knocking on its metal door.
"Enter," a voice boomed from the other side. The door automatically opened, revealing General Ironwood as he hung over a holographic table that displayed any and all information about the spacecraft. Next to him was the headmaster of Haven Academy, an elderly lion Faunus named Leo Lionheart. At the back, holding onto a scroll, was a man Ozpin assumed to be Doctor Pietro Polendina. Ozpin's fellow headmaster was clearly nervous, but he was bravely pushing those fears aside and focusing on the task at hand. Leo locked eyes with Ozpin and smiled softly while nodding in greeting, while Ironwood remained focused on the table. Pietro was moving his head between Ozpin and Ironwood, giving Ozpin a warm smile in greeting while also waiting for his friend to notice. Only when Leo coughed to catch the General's attention did he look up. With the automatic door closing behind them, he saw Ozpin, Qrow, and Glynda, and he nodded.
"Professor Ozpin, Professor Goodwitch, Branwen," Ironwood greeted them as he momentarily removed himself from the holo-table and straightened his back. "I've been expecting you."
"Vale's council sent us here, General," Ozpin detailed, and Ironwood nodded in understanding.
"I know, and I'm grateful to have you here," Ironwood admitted. He personally would've preferred a more military-minded individual, but the headmaster of the most prestigious Huntsmen Academy in the world was a good substitute. Ozpin had been in that position for years, longer than he himself had been a member of Atlas' military, so he could appreciate his advice in this situation.
"It's good to see you as well, Ozpin," Leo admitted, waving his hand towards the table. "I arrived just before you, and we've been discussing the situation thus far."
"Let me guess: a whole lot of 'we don't know' and 'terrible all around?'" Qrow guessed. Ironwood shot the impudent Huntsman a glare, as did Glynda from the corner of her eye, but Ironwood then closed his eyes and sighed while shaking his head.
"While I would've worded it differently," Ironwood said, walking towards the glass window of his office, "you are correct. That ship has been orbiting Remnant since early this morning, and it's done absolutely nothing."
"That's good, isn't it?" Ozpin asked.
"Yes, and no," Ironwood replied, crossing his arms behind his back as he stared out over his city. Ozpin frowned, placing the tip of his cane on the ground as he walked towards the table. There he saw a clear and faint blue holographic image of the vessel, giving him a three-dimensional look at its structure. It was large, nearly five-thousand feet long from bow to stern and twelve-hundred feet wide. What appeared to be holes dotted the outer hull, but he couldn't make out why they had appeared. Still, it troubled him, and he turned his attention back towards General Ironwood.
"How's the situation across Remnant?" Ozpin asked, knowing that since his flight from Vale to Atlas, the already tense situation had undoubtedly developed further.
"Near a tipping point," Ironwood growled out. "Atlas has been under near constant Grimm incursion since the news broke. The other cities and villages across Solitas' coastline are reporting the same thing, and my contacts in Vale, Mistral, and Vacuo are all telling me about the increase in Grimm activity across the planet."
"People are afraid," Ozpin replied, placing himself next to Ironwood as the General looked at him from the corner of his eye.
"Indeed," Ironwood said, then he turned around and walked back to the holo-table. "Unfortunately, the outbreaks are too outstretched for my forces to cover everything, and that's just in Solitas. The situation in the other kingdoms are even worse. Already a few villages have been attacked, some even overrun completely."
Qrow clenched his fists and teeth tightly. He silently bit back a curse and shut his eyes, while Ironwood picked up on the Huntsman's distress and frowned sympathetically. Ironwood could understand where Qrow's feelings were coming from, but he forced himself to push them aside and focus on the bigger picture.
"Have we tried reaching out to the vessel?" Glynda asked, and Ironwood regarded her for a moment before nodding.
"Doctor Pietro Polendina sent a transmission an hour ago, a first contact package containing basic information about our people that was put together by the councils," Ironwood revealed. "The aliens haven't responded."
"Perhaps they can't understand it?" Ozpin offered. "It's highly unlikely they could understand our language."
"Assuming they even got it," Leo added. Ozpin nodded, feeling that it was a fair argument. The possibility of the computer systems being incompatible with each other was more likely than not.
"That's what I said, but I wasn't allowed to send another," Pietro added, giving his friend a light glare. "I just want to add that this entire situation, although absolutely terrifying, is exhilarating. Actual alien life from outside our solar system. If we can communicate, who knows what we can learn from each other!"
"Perhaps," Ironwood replied, "or perhaps not."
The atmosphere in the room grew tenser, and the others regarded Ironwood warily. Ironwood seemed to pick up on it, and rather than look offended, he calmly regarded their silent concerns and nodded.
"The fact of the matter is," Ironwood started, "there are far too many unknowns about this entire situation. The panic and level of Grimm activity is increasing every minute, and soon Atlas' military and the kingdoms' Huntsmen won't be able to contain it. Which means that, for the safety of the kingdoms, we are approaching one option."
Ozpin regarded Ironwood for a moment, then his eyes widened in realization. He then quietly asked, "You want to attack?"
"Not just yet," Ironwood clarified, "but as Atlas has been spearheading everything regarding the aliens, I've received assurances from the councils that they will follow my lead." Ozpin's thoughts raced as the others opened their mouths to speak.
"General, while I understand your concerns, I do not believe we've reached that point just yet," Leo insisted in a calming, gentle manner.
"Attacking unprovoked would be a gross overreaction," Glynda more harshly insisted.
"If you think things are bad now, what you're suggesting is only going to make things worse!" Qrow angrily declared. Ironwood regarded them for a moment, then nodded.
"All valid concerns," he replied, "but we need to think of the greater picture. If the situation deteriorates further, I may have no other choice in order to keep Remnant safe."
Ozpin remained silent as the others continued to argue with him, until he finally raised his hand and silenced them. A picture of calm, Ozpin looked Ironwood in the eyes and began to speak.
"Why do you think attacking the aliens may be necessary?" Ozpin asked. "For all we know, they could be explorers, maybe even refugees or colonists."
Ironwood regarded the headmaster for a moment, then beckoned with his arm to the holo-table.
"Besides the fact that the vessel hasn't done anything nor respond to our attempts at communication," he began, "the structure of the ship has me concerned."
The hull structure of the vessel was highlighted and enlarged, allowing Ironwood to show everyone where he was coming from.
"Our scientists and engineers have been poring over this vessel ever since it arrived, and if our assessment is accurate, this is not an exploratory vessel nor a colony ship. This is a warship." Several protrusions were highlighted in red. "The entire vessel is made out of titanium alloy, and we've found evidence of spent missile pods and point-defense guns all around its hull. What's more, the structure itself appears to be built entirely around a central cannon placed at the bow."
"That doesn't necessarily mean their intentions are hostile," Ozpin pointed out. "As you said, they haven't done anything. That includes showing hostile intent."
"While that may be the case now," Ironwood tersely replied, rotating the image to show the various holes in the ship's hull, "clearly this vessel was damaged recently. Something that was hot enough to melt through its armor. Titanium has an extremely high melting point, so whatever did this had to be over three-thousand degrees Fahrenheit."
"Again, this does not necessarily mean they will have hostile intentions to us," Ozpin calmly insisted. Internally, he admitted that the evidence of damage was concerning, but he forced himself to remain calm and think the situation through. He was being dealt a bad hand, but if he didn't play his cards right, everything could unravel very quickly. Ironwood looked to counter, but Ozpin politely raised his hand and requested to speak further. After a moment, Ironwood nodded and stepped back to allow Ozpin space to continue.
"General, I understand your concerns," Ozpin admitted. "I'm scared, too."
"I'm not scared," Ironwood insisted, but Ozpin shook his head.
"You don't have to lie to me, General. I'm not judging. After all, this is a frightening situation, one that we should be nervous about. It's true, we don't know what's going to happen. These aliens could have hostile intentions towards us, which is just as likely as peace."
"But the fact that it's a warship—"
"Which brings me to my next point," Ozpin interrupted. "You are trying to force a human-centric viewpoint on an alien species. To us, that would be a warship. But to them? It might be something completely different. They're aliens, and with that comes an entirely different biology, culture, and points of view. Ones we can't even begin to comprehend as we've never interacted before."
"And the damage?" Ironwood called back.
"I admit, I don't know what could've caused it," Ozpin stated. "It could've been from a variety of sources. A malfunction from inside the ship, a glancing blow from a meteor. Maybe they flew too close to a star. Or perhaps they truly were attacked by something. We don't know, but that doesn't mean we should automatically assume the worst. Besides, let's consider your plan more thoroughly. You want to attack them first before they have a chance to attack us. Fine. How do you suppose we do that? Last I'd heard, we don't have space capabilities just yet."
"And none of our ground-based defenses can reach orbit, especially where the spaceship currently is," Pietro pointed out. The tone of his voice told Ozpin that this discussion had already occurred, and it was one which Doctor Polendina was not pleased with.
"True, but we can shoot down anything they send down," Ironwood countered. "And I've already had my scientists devise ways to hit them. There are some promising developments in the pipeline already."
"Alright," Ozpin continued. "Let's say that we do attack them or shoot down anything they send our way. If we're going to put a human-centric viewpoint on them, let's say they react to a preemptive strike like any other human would. They retaliate. You say that the ship is most likely structured around a central cannon. Doctor Polendina, any estimates on its strength?"
"At the moment, no," Pietro admitted. "We're not entirely certain it is a cannon, and if it is we don't know what it fires or how."
"I believe the damage it sustained might have rendered it inoperable," Ironwood added, and Ozpin nodded. He then looked at the holographic image and noted its position near the moon, and looked towards the General once again.
"Even if the cannon is truly inoperable, I'm not sure it matters," Ozpin said, moving his hand across the holotable to zoom out. Remnant's shattered moon became visible, and Ozpin gestured towards the chunks. "Look at their position. Whether their cannon is operable or not, whether they have any missiles in those pods left, the fact of the matter is they have all the ammunition they need. All you need to do is give them a reason to use it."
The room went silent as the occupants comprehended Ozpin's words. Pietro's eyes widened, then he hastily opened his scroll and began calculating some numbers. The tapping of his fingers against the glass screen drew everyone's attention, and finally Pietro looked up as a trickle of sweat went down his brow.
"These are…rough numbers," he began, "but if they're right, it wouldn't be that difficult to grab a piece of the moon, aim it, and send it down. The amount of force would be enough to wipe out an entire city. Some of them…" Pietro gulped. "Some of them could cause a mass extinction event. Anything larger than a rodent would die all over the planet."
Once again, silence fell over the room. Everyone turned to look at Ironwood, silently urging him to reconsider his brash plan. Looking down, Ironwood's jaw clenched as his mind raced, then he looked at Ozpin for a moment. The air between them grew tense. The General's hand clenched and unclenched a few times before he finally sighed and shook his head.
"I suppose you're right," Ironwood finally said, then pointed a finger at Ozpin. "But if they do anything that hints of hostility, I will attack first. The safety of Remnant's people is my highest concern."
"I agree completely," Ozpin responded, "but I don't believe we will need to go that far."
UNSC Everest, Valiant-class Super-Heavy Cruiser
Lunar Orbit, Unknown Terrestrial Planet, Unknown System
November 28th, 2540 19:00 hours (UNSC Military Calendar)
"So," SPARTAN Fred-104 said over TEAMCOM as he and fellow SPARTANs John-117, Linda-058, and Kelly-087 walked down the corridors of the Everest, "what do you guys think of this?"
"Hard to say," Kelly replied. "There's a lot of unknowns right now."
"Yeah," Fred murmured. "Can't say I like it."
"Wouldn't be a SPARTAN mission if it was comfortable," Linda dryly pointed out.
"True. Besides, a little bit of mystery always spices things up," Fred joked, causing Kelly to slightly smile in amusement.
"Focus, Blue Team," John cut in as they neared the bridge. Immediately, the SPARTAN-IIs silenced themselves just as they approached the still functional automatic doors. They opened with a mechanical hiss, where the SPARTANs were greeted by the sight of a fully staffed bridge filled with technicians and helmsmen frantically working on stations and conducting various repairs. Standing at the front near the window was Vice Admiral Preston J. Cole himself, with eight fully armored ODSTs, Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, standing in front of him with their helmets held in their hands. They gave the SPARTAN-IIs a momentary glance, some impassively while others with barely disguised disdain, as Blue Team joined them.
"Sir," Chief announced as he and Blue Team flashed a salute.
"At ease, SPARTANs," Admiral Cole ordered. Blue Team complied at once, standing at parade rest as they waited for Cole to give them their instructions. With a vibrant planet easily seen through the window, it wasn't hard to determine what the subject would likely be. A silence filled the air, broken only by faint beeping of electronics, before Cole finally began to speak.
"At 0500 hours UNSC Standard Time, the Everest arrived in-system after performing a blind jump," Cole reported. "In accordance to military protocol, a preliminary scan of the system was launched, where it was discovered that one of the planets, the very one we are orbiting now, was not only habitable for human life but also exhibited evidence of intelligent life currently inhabiting it. Given its close proximity to human space, I chose to investigate the planet out of concern it was either a lost colony or an Insurrectionist outpost. We now believe it is neither."
"You mean this is a first contact, sir?" one of the ODSTs asked. John's MJOLNIR immediately named the individual as Gunnery Sergeant Ethan Graves, and Cole nodded towards him.
"The first one since the Covenant, yes," Cole confirmed. A slight murmur echoed through the ranks, but John and the rest of Blue Team remained stoically silent.
"Have they detected us?" Linda finally asked, and Cole turned his attention towards her and nodded.
"Yes. Their sensors are centuries behind ours, but we've been able to intercept."
"Any attempts at communication?" John followed up. Cole nodded, but the way he did told John that wasn't the full story.
"There have been a few from their end, however we've been unable to translate," Cole revealed. As though on cue, the holo-tank located next to the Admiral lit up, revealed Hannibal's avatar for all to see.
"Unfortunately, humanity's ability to translate alien languages is far behind the capabilities of the Covenant," Hannibal pointed out. "We don't even have a place to start, and as such my options are quite limited and progress has been slow. At the current rate, I estimate at least a week before communications can truly begin in earnest, and even then it'll be rough."
John definitely didn't like the sound of that, and he could tell none of the others did either. Spending a week in orbit over an alien-planet was a recipe for disaster, and not just for them. Undoubtedly the native inhabitants would be panicking at the sight of an alien warship orbiting overhead and doing absolutely nothing. It was another unknown to add to the ever-growing list, and unknowns tended to get people killed.
"That being said," Hannibal continued, "we have been able to obtain rough information about the planet."
"Rough?" another ODST, a Lieutenant Aliya Kalib, asked with a raised eyebrow, and Hannibal nodded while frowning slightly.
"Indeed. The Everest sustained considerable damage during our previous engagement with the Covenant, and as such our sensors and imaging equipment are not at full capacity. From what we've been able to acquire, the planet shares many similarities to Earth."
"Such as?" Sergeant Graves asked.
"The planet's rotation indicates a twenty-four-hour day-night cycle with a three-hundred-and-sixty-five-day orbiting period around its star. Its atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen, and most of the surface is covered in saltwater. Most of the landmass is comprised of five large continents and far too many islands for us to accurately map out at the moment."
"What about population? Do we have anything on that?" Fred asked. Hannibal brought up an image the Everest had taken a few hours before, showing a large city located on the largest continent that was currently labeled as Alpha. The other continents were similarly labeled, with the continent laying north of Alpha labeled Beta, to the east was Charlie, the northwest Delta, and the southwest was Epsilon. Obviously the native inhabitants already had names for them, but for the moment these would have to do.
"Most of the population, from what we can see, is housed in four supermassive cities, which we believe to be the capitals of four accompanying nation states," Hannibal continued. "We've seen a few scattered cities and villages outside of the apparent capitals, but they are much smaller in size and scale. Their territorial claims are, as of this moment, not understood, nor their demographics or government structure. However, the level of cross-nation communications has exponentially increased ever since our arrival, which when coupled with the lack of evidence regarding open conflict, leads me to believe that these countries are not only currently at peace, they have been for some time."
John raised his eyebrow at that bit of information, as did the rest of the soldiers around him. Ever since the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, back when humans were still confined solely to Earth, having the majority of the population living in urban areas wasn't unusual. When humanity expanded into space, they took their urban environments and lifestyles with them. But from what Hannibal was saying, it sounded like the level of urbanization of these people was on an unprecedented scale. What's more, an entire planet only had four nations? Even now, Earth still had hundreds of nation-states that administered their territories, all under the jurisdiction of the United Earth Government and, by default as of late, the United Nations Space Command. The question 'why' roared through John's mind. Were the four nations on this planet the remnants of a failed attempt at globalization? Were they simply in the process of forming a singular government like Earth did centuries before?
Or, more worrisome, perhaps the seemingly peaceful planet was more dangerous than it seemed? John focused on the images they had taken of the large cities most of the population supposedly lived in. They were absolutely massive, far larger than anything on Earth or its many colonies. Their architectures and layouts were all different, some blending into the environment while others actively sought to stand against it. If he didn't know any better, he'd say one was literally flying. All of them, however, shared one key characteristic beyond being placed in what he would consider to be highly defensible positions. Massive walls lined the exteriors, outfitted with heavy defenses pointed outward. Aiming at what, he couldn't tell, but the more he thought about it, the more John didn't like it. There were far too many unknowns for his liking, and he could tell the others felt the same.
Finally, John straightened himself and looked straight at Vice Admiral Cole.
"Sir, what's our next move?" he asked. The Admiral slowly turned his attention to John and the rest of the assembled soldiers, then nodded.
"As of right now, Hannibal is currently working on finishing the translation while I develop a First Contact package to share with the natives," Admiral Cole revealed. John understood immediately where Cole was coming from. Prior to the Covenant's onslaught against humanity, the UEG had developed what could only be described as a First Contact package meant to be shared with any intelligent life humanity would ever find. It had preached friendship, understanding, and a desire to work together to form a bright future. In hindsight, it was hopelessly optimistic, if not outright naïve, and since 2525 the package had been all but forgotten. He doubted many ship-board AI even had it in on-hand anymore. Which left Admiral Cole to devise a brand new one on the spot, the details of which John couldn't even begin to imagine. Obviously, it would have to be peaceful overall. The last thing the UNSC needed was another war, but at the same time their prior experience with aliens would influence what they told them and how much.
One thing was certain to the SPARTAN leader, however. If these aliens were peaceful, they couldn't be allowed to fall to the Covenant. The Everest had found them entirely by accident, and they were only just outside the range of colonized human space. Were the Covenant to find them, it would be an absolute tragedy, not to mention potentially form another cog in the seemingly endless Covenant war machine.
"In the meantime," Cole continued, "the Everest remains on standby. With our systems damaged and only a few satellites on hand to monitor the planet, we are forced to take a more direct approach if we are to understand what, exactly, we are dealing with."
"We're dropping planet side, sir?" Sergeant Graves asked, and Cole nodded.
"Indeed you are, trooper." Cole pressed a button on the side of the holo-table, showing a topographic map marked with ten red dots, two per continent. Landing zones, John realized, but he patiently waited for Admiral Cole to continue.
"Ten teams of six each are to insert via Pelican dropships to conduct recon. Any and all data you can provide is to be sent back to the Everest for it to be analyzed. Atmospheric content, geological samples, wildlife survey, everything is on the table, but above all else, you cannot be seen by the natives."
"Wouldn't our HEV pods be stealthier, sir?" Lieutenant Kalib asked.
"We considered them," Admiral Cole admitted, "but given the mission's objectives and the potential for rapid disengagement from the planet if necessary, we decided on using dropships. We're certain that our onboard systems will mask your approach, but if the mission goes south, I want you back on the Everest as soon as possible. An orbital drop wouldn't allow that."
John nodded at the sound logic, as did the other ODSTs. Still, John had other concerns that he knew the rest of his team shared. As such, it wasn't a surprise when Kelly began to speak up.
"I'm certain they'll notice our insertion," Kelly pointed out. "All of their sensors are focused right on us, and there isn't a meteor shower to mask our approach."
"Which is why we're inserting far away from any major settlements and cities," Cole clarified. "Your landing zones are, from what we can tell, embedded deep in the wilderness with only scattered and minor villages located nearby."
John nodded, not entirely satisfied with that answer, but it was one he could work with. "Do you want us to observe the natives directly, sir?"
"If you are able to, yes, but only if it does not compromise the mission. Stealth is the utmost priority. This is an already tense situation, and the last thing I want is to make it untenable."
It wasn't hard to understand why. The natives were likely terrified, and while inserting themselves could very well make them even more fearful, it was a risk the crew of the Everest had to take. Had they been at full operational status, there would be no need to go planetside. They could just gather all the information they needed from orbit. But the Everest took a lot of damage during the Battle of Beijing III. Not enough to compromise the entire ship, but enough to make it considerably more difficult to ascertain conditions below. Going down there was a risk, but a calculated one. If it paid off, the Everest would know that much more, information they could use to their advantage.
Around him, John could see the other seasoned soldiers come to the same line of thought. Some liked it more than others, but they were coming onboard more and more with each passing second. As the ODSTs slowly nodded, John felt a thought cross his mind, and he diverted his attention subtly to the holo-table. Thanks to his years of experience, Cole picked up on it immediately.
"Master Chief, anything you'd like to add?" Cole asked. John felt everyone's attention fall on him, and he straightened his back in response.
"Yes, sir," John said. He glanced at Blue Team, who immediately understood where he was about to go. They clearly didn't like it, and to be honest neither did he, but the needs of the mission outweighed personal opinions. John then turned his attention back to Admiral Cole, and looked him straight in the eye.
"Admiral, I believe it would be best for Blue Team to be divided among different teams. There's no need to concentrate all four SPARTAN operators in one location," John advised. Admiral Cole looked at him for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
"My thoughts exactly. Which is why two of the teams will be led by Master Chief Petty Officer SPARTAN-117 and Petty Officer First Class SPARTAN-104. Petty Officers Second Class SPARTAN-058 and SPARTAN-087 will be accompanying separate teams led by an ODST commander."
Fred was momentarily taken aback, not used to nor particularly liking having the spotlight or responsibilities of leadership thrust upon him, but he was able to quickly recompose himself. The ODSTs, however, were a different story altogether. Some, like Gunnery Sergeant Graves, were able to easily come to terms and accept the possibility of being led by a SPARTAN-II. Others, like Lieutenant Kalib, were not. The Arabic woman and her likeminded ODSTs were furious, angrily glaring at the SPARTANs like they were thieves. The SPARTANs didn't care. The ODSTs, ever since the SPARTANs came onto the scene, had quickly developed a 'rivalry' with the super-soldiers over the position of 'most elite soldier in the UNSC.' It was completely one-sided, as the SPARTANs didn't particularly care if the ODSTs kept trying to one-up them or continued to hate their guts over such petty insecurities. Unless it affected the mission, then it became their concern. Otherwise, they'd let the ODSTs think what they think and feel what they feel. At the very least, after Admiral Cole glared at the petulant ODSTs for a single second, they fell back in line with begrudging acceptance. Cole, after a moment, was satisfied with this, and straightened his back and nodded.
"Assemble your teams and gear. You drop in one hour," Cole announced, crossing his arms behind his lower back. "Good luck, and may God watch over us."
[~][~]
Hello, everyone, and welcome to the latest chapter of Dust and Echoes! Special thanks to Jesse K and NaanContributor for all their help in bringing this story to life.
The UNSC and Remnant are about to collide, and as anyone would expect, Remnant is freaking out and the UNSC has no idea what's going on thanks to damaged equipment and forcing their hand to speed things up. What awaits them on the planet below will be revealed in due time.
Please let us know what you guys think, and from me to all of you, please stay safe and healthy. Now, onto the Q&A:
Fanfic maker: Thank you, I'm glad you liked the story! Don't worry, we're working very hard to avoid anything along the lines of shitty OCs or OOC characterizations for anyone. Everything you saw in the prologue will be built up to and expanded upon as the story develops and gets to it. We have planed out our story tremendously before we even started writing this, and I hope that the fruits of that planning will be something you all can enjoy.
scottusa1: Thank you, I hope to see you around.
Knighthunter911700: That topic of Huntsmen vs SPARTAN is actually something that got directly brought up in the main Spacebattles thread. I won't dive all that much into it here, but to sum it up, trying to compare Huntsmen to a SPARTAN is actually fairly difficult as they are two different things. yes, both are badasses and superhuman, but Huntsmen are primarily lone operators meant to take down mindless monsters that can be redirected to fighting people if need be. It's not their main purpose, but they can do it. SPARTANS, on the other hand, are meant to fight wars and outside of the main Halo trilogy due to recent events, fight in teams or alongside their fellow soldiers. The enemies they fight may be squishier than the Grimm at times, but fighting a war is a different beast than fighting monsters, something that both sides will have to deal with. Besides, this story is ultimately which is better, SPARTAN or Huntsmen. It's about how can both sides build the other up to become something better.
BanzEye: Blue Team, as you can see. So, John, Fred, Linda, and Kelly. As for the Everest, they aren't stranded. Rather, they're damaged but functional, they're just checking out the planet because they thought this might've been a lost human colony or Insurrectionist outpost. They can leave the system if they need to.
Steelrain66: Yep, political shenanigans are afoot. Trust me, if I didn't incorporate that into this story I'd feel like I would be waiting massive potential for world building and conflict. As for what happens on that front, both on the Remnant side and the UNSC, you'll have to wait and see.
Vein Bloodborne: I'm glad you enjoyed it!
archive4465: Don't worry, we don't plan on this story being cliche. As you can tell both from the character tags and the first scene of this chapter, Jaune is a main character, but he won't be some uber-badass that everyone swoons over. In fact, we feel that doing that to Jaune is a disservice not only to everyone else, but also his own character. He's not meant to be the Goku or the Aang. He's meant to be the Krillin or the Sokka. As for OCs x Harems, I hate those with an undying passion. So don't expect to see that. In fact, don't expect to see much romance, if any, at all. They have bigger things to worry about than who's dating who.
negronomicon: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much, and yes I am thoroughly enjoying this writing this story for you all.
Guest: I cannot comment on the Flood at this time due to spoilers.
Guest Isa: No, there will not be any Oz-bashing. Nor will there be any bashing of any kind. Ironwood-bashing, RWBY-bashing, Jaune-bashing, UNSC-bashing, Insurrectionist-bashing, or even Covenant-bashing. Doing that, to me, is lazy and poor writing. To your point about RWBY and JNPR not being superheroes, I have to question what you're seeing. The entire point of Volume 6 was RWBY and JNPR deciding that, even if the fight is 'pointless,' they should keep it up because it's a worthy cause. Much as Vol 7 was them kind of understanding a bit more of what Ozpin was doing previously, despite not fully agreeing with him or his methods even at the end. As for treating Oscar badly, that was only a few moments that they all came to deeply regret. Jaune tried to throttle him, and by the time of Vol 7, he's going to the movies with Jaune and are really good friends.
Point is, don't expect any bashing towards any characters or group. Does that mean I'm going to portray anyone as a saint who can do no wrong? Of course not, nor am I going to portray someone as the literal devil. This applies to Ozpin and to RWBY and JNPR. And no, I do not want to see a canon discussion derailment for my story in its reviews. I will obviously be taking it into account. See the scene involving Ironwood and Ozpin, that was directly inspired by the events of Volume 7, but the story I am telling is one that is my own.
Jebest4781: You'll have to wait and see on that account. I think you'll enjoy what we have coming.
Dragon lord Syed 101: Happy that you're enjoying the story so much!
edboy4926: Yep, this happens before Watts' defection to Salem's side. As for what happens with him next, you'll have to wait and see.
That's it for today. Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and I hope you all enjoy! Let us know what you think.
